Spyderco VS Benchmade

[Artfully Martial]

I think they're top in terms of production knife collectors opinions(specifically BF, I suppose, but I've encountered a great many similar opinions of people who aren't on BF). This was my opinion, but I've found that Kershaw has in the last few years focused more on the "high end" of production folders (so defined as knives over a hundred dollars, for the purposes of discussion) and I've been roughly as pleased with the designs and quality of Kershaw as the "big two." Hence, I now think of it as a "big three." There are lots of good companies out there, but very few produce the lineup of great designs in the price range I like , relative to Benchmade, Kershaw and Spyderco.

But this is only my opinion...I think it could be argued that the average joe's opinion is still in favor of a "big two" idea. Before I ever came to BF, when shopping for knives and with only a vague knowledge of what I was really doing, the opinion I often encountered was that Kershaw and CRKT were the best values, but if you had the money Benchmade and Spyderco were the obvious choices. I think Kershaw could be debated to be the best value in some areas still, but given the Bump lineup, the ZTs, the Offset, Nakamura, etc etc etc, I see Kershaw more as a direct (and successful, in terms of my subjective appreciation of the knives) competitor to Spyderco and Benchmade.

It seems like the best route to get to these cherished statuses is to get a direct but seemingly opposite competitor....Mustang and Camaro, Thunderbird and Corvette, WRX and Evo, Spyderco and Benchmade--Kershaw and.....

It seems to create a polarization in favor of one or the other, and the discussions that ensue appear that these two are the only options.

 

[Buddiiee]

BUT, the main question was... more for the money.
That would be spyderco. Benchmade makes SUPER solid knives, but that wasnt the original question. Benchmades cost too much. Are benchmades definitively proven to last longer than spydercos? Nope. But they cost twice the price. So in value? That would easily be Spyderco.

 

[Blop]

Any knife of each company has its partner in price and performance at the other company.

IMO BM has best offers in their red line. Better than byrd.

The Grip is a unsurpassed class of its own.

 

[allenC]

Both Spyderco and Benchmade make a ton of knives overseas...Benchmade and Spyderco do a lot of Chinese knives and a few Taiwanese ones. I have used a lot of Japanese Spydercos and they were fine knives.

AM,
I know that Spyderco has the Byrd knives that are made in China, but I did not know that Benchmade had ones made in China as well.
Which ones are you referring to?

 

[Artfully Martial]

The new Vex comes from China, if I recall...perhaps others. I feel fairly strongly that Benchmade could become a CRKTish brand in the next few years at the current rate...I really wish that they didn't have the "red class," and if they really want it, they should not call it a Benchmade and just own a separate company. I have to say, as a Benchmade fan, I'm a little embarrassed to own them now...no one knows the difference yet, but in time, people will associate Benchmade with Taiwanese/Chinese made knives of acceptable quality but a good price--it will be the option for people who can't afford a Spyderco, Microtech, maybe Kershaw. I don't think the red class needs eliminating, only that it should move to the US in its entirety, or failing that, Japan. At least one of the recent designs looked pretty cheesy, although I think the knife itself might have potential.

Benchmade is further loing its individuality, now that the primary goal appears to be emulating Spyderco. I was initially completely unconcerned, happy in fact, about the occasional (rare) use of the original spyder hole on a Benchmade, like the old AFCK. But they released several models with it, and now one with a finger choil...I do really like the new Lum folder, but it's also a famous Spyderco production, and it uses the spyderhole. I'll probably get one of these, and taken on its own, no issue with it at all, I'm just seeing a bit of a downward trend in the lower area of Benchmades. I like that Benchmades were a premium brand...which really didn't even kick off until 60 dollars and up. People who know a little bit about knives are still impressed when they hear Benchmade, but again, give it a few years, and we may be thinking about the stuff they sell at a gas station.

Too bad, since their higher end knives are really doing well...the Rukus, skirmishes, morpho, etc etc, all look really great.

Someone mentioned that Benchmades cost twice as much as equivalent Spydercos. This is patently false.

 

[silenthunterstudios]

shs, not to interupt this thread, but could you define the term "top" for me, thanks.

:foot: Tom, you know I like my Kershaws.



A lot of people on here and in real life define Spyderco and Benchmade as being at the top of the game in the 50 dollar to 200 dollar price range for knives. I was making a blanket statement, and should have clarified that, while I personally like Benchmade and Spyderco a lot, I was inferring that they are considered top dog in the standard price production field. That is not to discount companies like Kershaw, A G Russell, Al Mar, Queen, Buck, Case, SOG, and a host of other highly regarded mainstream standard production companies.

Oops forgot CRKT...


In addition, there are things that I dislike about products being offered by all companies mentioned. To each their own. Benchmade and Spyderco have been the gateway drug to Chris Reeve and Strider and handmades for me.

 

[tirod3]

Benchmade and Spyderco have been the gateway drug to Chris Reeve and Strider and handmades for me.

And they're probably well aware of the liability of outraged wives suing them -

Hi, I'm Tirod, and I'm a hard(use) knife addict . . . it probably started when I bought a BM CQC7, which was much more tactical than any previous knife I had owned. I didn't know tactical was just a hook to reach the military who were largely non-users. Even so, I started chasing the dragon trying to find the best tactical knife out there. More Benchmades, Spydercos, then the money ran out, had to buy CRKT's for a fix more and more, even MTech. I was still looking for the ulitmate high, though, and the makers were coming up with new designer knives, pushing into suburbia, while the real hard core were offering new locks, materials, and shapes.

It's been a long road. I think I found the One; I know it may not last, but the costs are so much maybe I won't go so far again. I've been slowly selling off my others. Someone said a man took all he had and sold it for a pearl of great price. The price is that high - some don't understand, and there are those who abuse you and cast derision on your path. Maybe they are right, but usually they don't understand - they don't own one. They haven't got hooked.

I sometimes envy their innocence.

 

[Thomas W]

A lot of people on here and in real life define Spyderco and Benchmade as being at the top of the game in the 50 dollar to 200 dollar price range for knives.
I was making a blanket statement, and should have clarified that, while I personally like Benchmade and Spyderco a lot, I was inferring that they are considered top dog in the standard price production field.

Are you referring to "quality" with the above mentioned?
Certainly from that standpoint there is no doubt these 2 companies make excellent knives with much thought and research built into the final product. IMHO, you could categorize BM & Spy. as specialty manufacturers that focus on higher end pocket cutlery. Up until recently when they both opted to offering up nice price point products, their only focal point was in building or offering the best they could, they spared little or no expense, and never apologized for the ticket price. "Top of the game", sure I see it.

Now the "top of the game in the $50-$200" comment could also be construed as the Spy. and BM both rule and are on top of the volume retail market category in this price range, this of course could be debated and was the clarification I was more looking for.

Benchmade and Spyderco have been the gateway drug to Chris Reeve and Strider and handmades for me.

I would ask the question, what knives are the drug to BM and Spy? I would also say that that it is pretty typical that the masses don't start out with either of those two, and agree with this statement from AM.

I think it could be argued that the average joe's opinion is still in favor of a "big two" idea. Before I ever came to BF, when shopping for knives and with only a vague knowledge of what I was really doing, the opinion I often encountered was that Kershaw and CRKT were the best values, but if you had the money Benchmade and Spyderco were the obvious choices. I think Kershaw could be debated to be the best value in some areas still, but given the Bump lineup, the ZTs, the Offset, Nakamura, etc etc etc, I see Kershaw more as a direct (and successful, in terms of my subjective appreciation of the knives) competitor to Spyderco and Benchmade.

I normally don't speak on other companies, hopefully this comes off as constructive dialog.

 

[Artfully Martial]

For me, it was CRKT and Buck. A BF member who I went to school with gave me a little CRKT Urban Shark, which is still often used to this day. I EDCed it for over a year before I decided to upgrade, and having been pleased with it, got an M16, which I was also very happy with (a friend lost it a few months back, but, it had been used long and hard, so perhaps it was time for it to die). For friends of mine, it seems like Kershaw has been the starter. One of my best friends bought a Kershaw Storm and envied my Benchmades...I eventually bought him a minigrip. My cousin used Kershaws (a leek, I think) and envied the Spydercos, so I bought him some of those. For some reason, I guess just because Kershaw offers so many at their entry level price point which still look cool and feel solid (are solid). I guess Kershaw just doesn't have that mistique yet among the average buyer that the vaunted Benchmades and Spyderco do, which have kind of a mythical status. They don't "see" or perceive Kershaw as a bad company, not by any means, but they are simply unaware of the high end knives Kershaw makes.